What Are The Cheapest Internet Providers
As of 2011, 78.2% of Americans were already actively using the internet according to metrics by the world bank. Many people use the internet for several purposes ranging from entertainment, research, learning, shopping and many more activities. Despite the internet being easily accessible to millions of people, there is some limitations with regards to the cheapest internet providers.
There are over 2000 internet service providers in the US and they all offer internet services but at different terms. Some may offer high speed internet at a high cost while others will offer you affordable internet but the speed sucks. But there are some cheap internet providers with amazing deals on their internet plans and still provide quality internet connectivity.
This article tends to give you all information regarding the best internet service providers to go for in 2021. You will also get to learn on what to evaluate on with regards to choosing the cheapest internet provider. Read ahead to learn more!
What you should know before choosing a cheap internet provider?
Here is what to evaluate before choosing a service provider;
i. Customer reviews
Customer reviews are the core determining factors when choosing a service provider. Ensure to choose a service provider with a good rating on customer reviews. If there is lost of bad reviews, keep off!
ii. Network coverage
A perfect network coverage means no downtime. If you want a good coverage, your first option will be to go for service providers that offer FIOS within your area. FIOS comes with great benefits like no downtime and the internet speed is very fast.
iii. Customer care services
A good company should have 24/7 customer care support. The customer care team should also be able to answer technical problems in a right manner which is easy to understand. Luckily, many Internet providers have proficient customer care agents with good communication skills which I a great perquisite.
iv. Hotspot locations
Hotspot locations help you access internet if you are not within your home. Most service providers have free hotspot locations in strategic places across the State. Having a service provider with such benefits can help you if you travel a lot.
The 5 best cheapest internet providers
1. Xfinity
Comcast Xfinity tops our list with the best coverage across the US with up to 98%. They also have amazing offers not only on internet but also TV channels. Another major perk with Xfinity is that they are at the verge of launching 5G network which will foresee fast internet speeds across the country. The plans are very affordable and are divided in to 3 categories;
a) Performance pro
This plan goes for $34.99 per month and the user gets the following;
- 175 MBPS download and upload speeds
- Free access to millions of WI-FI hotspots
- Only internet access with no TV channels included
b) X1 Starter Pro Double Play
This plan costs only $79.99 per month and it comes with great perks;
- 140+ TV channels
- 500 Mbps internet speeds
- Free access to millions of WIFI Hotspots
c) X1 Starter Pro Triple Play
X1 triple play only costs $119.99 per month and the user gets the following;
- Unlimited nationwide talk and text
- Download speeds of up to 275 Mbps
- 140+ digital TV channels
There are also other internet plans besides these major ones and they include;
- Extreme pro at speeds of 500 MBPS
- Gigabit pro at 1000 Mbps speeds for only $70 per month
- Gigabit Pro at 2000 Mbps speeds for $299.95 per month
You can find all the Xfinity plans on their online store or visit a retail store near you.
2. AT&T internet
AT&T is one of the big four service providers in the US and they offer a wide range of services ranging from free Government phones, cell phone plans and internet services.
The cheap internet services is available in only 40% of the US but it is of high quality. If you are of low income, AT&T also offers cheap internet plans for as low as $5 per month and you can qualify if your household receives supplementary security income benefits.
With AT&T plans, you get the following benefits;
- 24/7 customer service which is the most reliable
- Access to over 30,000 WIFI hotspot locations
- Internet security provided by MacAfee
The internet plans include;
- Internet 5 plan- You get 5 Mbps of speeds at only $50 per month for up to 3 devices
- Internet 100- This plan gives you 100 Mbps of speeds for only $50 per month
- Internet 300-You get 300 Mbps internet speeds at $50 per month for a maximum of 13 devices
- Internet 10000-The plan gives you up to 1000 Mbps of speed for a maximum of 14 devices.
3. Spectrum internet
Spectrum internet is a leading Internet service provider that covers 44 States and over 100 million people making it the second largest service provider in the US. By joining spectrum, you get a wide range of plans at affordable prices and other benefits like;
- No monthly data caps
- Fast internet speeds with no downtime
- No contracts. Cancel anytime
- You get a Modem included at no extra cost.
- Access to Spectrum WIFI hotspot centers within the country
Below are the best plans with their pricing;
- Spectrum internet-This plan offers 200 Mbps internet speed at only $49.99 per month
- Spectrum internet Ultra- You get 400 Mbps at only $69.99 per month
- Spectrum Internet Gig-With this plan, you get 940 Mbps internet speed at only $109.99 per month.
If you are in the following locations, Spectrum internet is currently not available; Hartford CA, Los Angeles CA, San Diego CA, Orlando FL, Oahu Hi, Kansas City MO, New York NY, Charlotte NC, Cleveland OH, Austin TX, Dallas TX, Milwaukee WI.
If you are interested in TV services, Spectrum also offers amazing deals on the plans. You can visit a Spectrum store near you or go to their online store that can help you get more services with regards
4. Verizon FIOS
Despite their small range of network coverage across the US, Verizon FIOS is among the few service providers that offer internet under Fiber-optic network. The Fiber-optic network is regarded as the most-fastest and secure internet supply services.
If you can’t afford internet services, the Verizon internet plans for low income families can be a good option to start with and they have simple eligibility requirements for you to qualify.
According to Verizon, with the Fiber-optic network, you get the following perks;
- Lag free online gaming
- Upload and downloads are at similar rates and fast
- Enough bandwidth to do multiple activities in the internet
- No buffering while virtually streaming
Verizon FIOS plan goes for only $39.99 per month and the user gets to enjoy;
- Unlimited internet at 100 Mbps speeds
- No downtime
- Verizon up rewards program
Verizon also offers amazing deals for the best unlimited mobile hotspot plans which will do you a great deal if you also plan to get a mobile hotspot device.
Currently Verizon covers 10 States nationwide on their FIOS services. You can get the plan if you live in the following areas; Connecticut, District of Columbia, New York, Delaware, Virginia, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland and New Jersey.
5. Frontier
Frontier is another amazing service provider that provides internet under fiber-optic networks. The company offers its services to more than 10 million people and most reviews suggest that their internet services is stunning.
Once you join Frontier, you are assured of;
- No data caps
- No downtime or dropped internet since they use Fiber-optic connectivity
- Reliable and friendly customer care team with 24/7 customer care support
- Easy installation process
- Free Hotspot locations across the selected States
Frontier internet plans are very affordable an come with great perks. They are divided in to 3 categories mentioned below;
a) 6Mbps Plan
The 6 Mbps plan comes with great perks like;
- Stream music
- Faster download speeds
- Stream videos with no buffering
b) 25 Mbps plan
This plan gives the user;
- Unlimited streaming to movies and TV shows
- Play Games online at fast speeds
- Faster downloads of files i.e. 10 songs in 18 seconds
c) 115 Mbps plan
This is the ultimate cheap internet service plan under frontier and you can go for it if you want to use many devices. It comes with the following benefits;
- Streaming without buffering at 4K
- Play games online without buffering
- Faster download speeds.
Also, there are locations whereby Frontier has implemented FIOS with speeds of up to 940 Mbps. You can check for availability in your area.
Bottom Line
Internet providers are always coming up with amazing deals to attract new customers. Despite them making claims that their internet services are cheap, always do a background check to avoid frustrations in the future. The cheap internet providers mentioned above have been in the market for decades and you are assured of amazing deals.
Ensure to evaluate the internet service provider with the factors mentioned earlier in the article. Also, make sure to leave a review of your experience with the service provider as this will help them to deliver better services.